First they say it's good for you. Then they say it's bad for you. "It causes cancer." "It helps prevent cancer." "It makes you more fertile." "It makes you less fertile."

All of the conflicting information about the birth control pill is enough to make any woman's head spin.

Wondering what to do? The answer is simple: Educate yourself. Gather all the information you can from reliable sources. (After 45 years on the market, there is a lot to comb through.) Together with your health care practitioner, you can make the decision that's right for you.

Here are a few facts about the pill:

* Believe it or not, you don't have to have a monthly period when you are on the pill. That's because when you are on the birth control pill you're not ovulating, therefore you are not getting a true menstrual period. Actually, the bleeding you experience during your pill-free week is due to the withdrawal of hormones. This is called a "pill period." The bottom line? You don't have to have a monthly period when you're on the pill. Not only is it safe to do, but with fewer periods comes the added benefit of eliminating PMS symptoms each month.

* One of the pill's greatest areas of misconception is conception. Research has shown that the pill does not negatively affect a woman's ability to conceive once she is off it. And the amount of years you are on the pill has no bearing on your future fertility.

* Not only does it not affect your future ability to conceive, studies show that the longer you are on the pill, the greater the health benefits, including protection against the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, benign breast disease and ovarian cysts. In fact, a woman who takes birth control pills for as little as one year reduces her risk of ovarian cancer by nearly 50 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Whether you're thinking about getting on the pill or are already on it, the better informed you are, the better you'll feel about your decision. - NU